Novel wing arrangement

ABSTRACT

A water sports device for supporting a seated human rider while the rider and the device are towed behind a powered water craft, the device including an elongated board having a front end and a back end to which is secured a seat for supporting the buttocks of the rider in a position spaced from and roughly centered above the back one-third of the board, a holder for securing the feet of the rider over the top of the board secured to the board spaced at least about two feet toward the front end of the board from the seat. An elongated hydrofoil extends downward from the board and front and rear wings carried by an arm which is generally parallel to the board. The arm is secured to the hydrofoil and spaced from the board, so that the wings are generally parallel to the board. The wings provide essentially no lift when the board is horizontal, the improvement wherein the front wing is a monowing carried on the lower surface of said arm and the rear wing is carried on the upper surface of said arm such that the flow of water over the front wing in unobstructed by said arm when underway and produces less turbulence over the rear wing. In a water sports device for supporting a standing human rider while the rider and the device are towed behind a powered water craft, the device including an elongated board having a front end and a back end, an elongated hydrofoil extends downward from the board, front and rear wings carried by an arm which is generally parallel to the board, said arm being secured to the hydrofoil and spaced from the board, so that the wings are generally parallel to the board, the wings provide essentially no lift when the board is horizontal, the improvement wherein the front wing is a monowing carried on the lower surface of said arm and the rear wing is carried on the upper surface of said arm such that the flow of water over the front wing in unobstructed by said arm when underway and produces less turbulence over the rear wing.

This patent is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/996,836, filed Nov. 24, 2004, which claims the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/524,363, filed Nov. 24, 2003, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,100,354, 5,249,998, 6,179,676 B1, 6,551,158 B2, 6,234,856 and 6,443,786 disclose water sport devices for supporting a seated human rider while the rider and the device are towed behind a powered water craft. The devices include an elongated board to which a seat and foot holders are secured. An elongate strut in the shape of a hydrofoil projects downwardly from the board. The lower end of the strut carries an arm which is generally parallel to the board. Front and rear wings are carried by the arm. The front wing is carried on top of the arm and the rear wing on the bottom of the arm. The positioning of the rigidly mounted seat and the wings, the use of a single vertical strut, the size of the wing and the positioning of the foot holders provides a water sports device which is relatively easy to ride, while at the same time being highly maneuverable and capable of high jumps. However, the positioning of the front wing on top of the arm has been found to result in under performance which is significantly improved by the present invention.

In other hydrofoil devices of the prior art, the front wing is also attached to the upper surface of the arm and the rear or trailing wing to the lower surface as in Emmanuel et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,119. The Emmanuel et al. patent discloses a hydrofoil device which includes an arm 20 that is attached to a V-shaped strut 14 (or a pair of spaced struts 14a as in FIG. 10) for attachment to a surfboard or a pair of water skis, as shown in FIG. 1. A forward foil 22 is attached to a front top surface of the arm 20, and a rearward foil 24 is attached to a rear bottom surface of the arm 20.

The present invention provides a significant improvement in water sport devices disclosed in the above-identified patents, the disclosures of which are expressly and fully incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In a water sports device for supporting a seated human rider while the rider and the device are towed behind a powered water craft, the device including an elongated board having a front end and a back end to which is secured a seat for supporting the buttocks of the rider in a position spaced from and roughly centered above the back one-third of the board, a holder for securing the feet of the rider over the top of the board secured to the board spaced at least about two feet toward the front end of the board from the seat, an elongated hydrofoil extends downward from the board, front and rear wings carried by an arm which is generally parallel to the board, said arm being secured to the hydrofoil and spaced from the board, so that the wings are generally parallel to the board, the wings provide essentially no lift when the board is horizontal,

the improvement wherein the front wing is a monowing carried on the lower surface of said arm and the rear wing is carried on the upper surface of said arm such that the flow of water over the front wing in unobstructed by said arm when underway and produces less turbulence over the rear wing.

In a water sports device for supporting a standing human rider while the rider and the device are towed behind a powered water craft, the device including an elongated board having a front end and a back end, board from the seat, an elongated hydrofoil extends downward from the board, front and rear wings carried by an arm which is generally parallel to the board, said arm being secured to the hydrofoil and spaced from the board, so that the wings are generally parallel to the board, the wings provide essentially no lift when the board is horizontal,

the improvement wherein the front wing is a monowing carried on the lower surface of said arm and the rear wing is carried on the upper surface of said arm such that the flow of water over the front wing in unobstructed by said arm when underway and produces less turbulence over the rear wing.

In the past the front wing has been attached to the top of the arm and the rear wing has been attached to the bottom of the arm, such that when underway, water flow over the front wing is partially obstructed by the arm. This arrangement also results in unwanted water turbulence over the rear wing. According to this invention, these problems are diminished.

The arrangement of this invention provides 8% more effective wing surface on the bottom of the front wing since the arm or fuselage is not in the way. This provides more “lift” and the increased lift enhances the overall performance. The larger wing surface due to the lack of the width of the arm being in the way reduces the displacement of water out to the side of the wing. The unobstructed lower surface of the front monowing is hydrodynamically superior in that the lower surface effectively pushes the water aside because the arm or fuselage is not there in the way to partially interfere with or obstruct water flow. This arrangement is stronger since the main hydrodynamic force applied to the front wing is to its underside and when the front monowing is carried below the arm, the force presses the front monowing onto the arm or fuselage whereas in the prior art, with the front wing on top of the arm or fuselage, this force acts to separate the front wing from the arm or fuselage, that is, the bolts holding the front wing to the top of the arm or fuselage are constantly under tension and, hence, ultimately are more apt to fail.

The higher rear wing allows the board to switch its angle of attack needed in jumping the towable hydrofoil as the strut displaces and cuts through the water resulting in less resistance or drag on the rear wing. When the water hits the strut there is less resistance than when it hits the entire flat surface of the wing. The previous designs did not take this into consideration and resulted in a slower reacting hydrofoil and weaker components.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the water sport device of the invention with the rider being towed by a tow rope.

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the hydrofoil, arm, front wing and rear wing elements of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning to the drawings in greater detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a “flying ski” 10 which embodies the preferred design of the water sports device present invention. The flying ski 10 includes an elongate board 12 having an upper surface 14 and a lower surface 16, and a front end 18 and a back end 20. A seat 22 extends generally perpendicular to and upward from the upper surface 14 of the board for supporting the buttocks of a seated rider 24 at a point spaced above the back of the board.

The seat 22 is carried by the support member 26.

The rider's legs extend forward toward the front of the board, where they are secured by a holders 28, such as a pair of rubber sheets 30, which are attached to the board about two feet forwardly of seat 22 so as to form two elongate generally semicircular loops into which the feet of the rider can be inserted.

An elongate hydrofoil 32 extends generally perpendicular to and thru a tight fitting opening in the board 10, and usually is secured to support 26. The portion of hydrofoil 32 extending below the board 12 is of a water foil shape in cross section. The upper end of the hydrofoil 32 can be affixed to the board 10, generally beneath support member 26. The arm 34 having a forward end and rearward end is fixed to the bottom end of the hydrofoil 32 at a point just forward of the middle of the arm 34. A forward monowing 36 is secured to the bottom of the forward end of the arm 34 so as to be generally parallel to the board 12. The rear wing 38 is secured to the top of the rearward end of arm 34 generally parallel to the board 12.

The front monowing 36 is normally larger in area than the rear wing 38.

The forward most portion of the leading edge of the front monowing 36 is substantially narrower or shorter than the trailing edge of the front monowing, as clearly shown in the drawings.

Optionally, further strengthening can be provided by gussets 40 as shown in FIG. 2. The gussets 40 can be integrally formed with arm 34 to create an opening for receiving the end of hydrofoil 32. Once assembled, these parts can be easily welded.

It will be understood that seat 22, support 26 and holders 28 are eliminated in the alternative wherein the rider stands up with his feet on the upper surface 14 of elongate board 12. 

1. In a water sports device for supporting a seated human rider while the rider and the device are towed behind a powered water craft, the device including an elongated board having a front end and a back end to which is secured a seat for supporting the buttocks of the rider in a position spaced from and roughly centered above the back one-third of the board, a holder for securing the feet of the rider over the top of the board secured to the board spaced at least about two feet toward the front end of the board from the seat, an elongated hydrofoil extends downward from the board, front and rear wings carried by an arm which is generally parallel to the board, said arm being secured to the hydrofoil and spaced from the board, so that the wings are generally parallel to the board, the wings provide essentially no lift when the board is horizontal, the improvement wherein the front wing is a monowing carried on the lower surface of said arm and the rear wing is carried on the upper surface of said arm such that the flow of water over the front wing in unobstructed by said arm when underway and produces less turbulence over the rear wing.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein gussets are provided between the hydrofoil and arm at the front and rear of the arm.
 3. The water sports device of claim 1 wherein the front monowing is larger in area than the rear wing.
 4. In a water sports device for supporting a standing human rider while the rider and the device are towed behind a powered water craft, the device including an elongated board having a front end and a back end, board from the seat, an elongated hydrofoil extends downward from the board, front and rear wings carried by an arm which is generally parallel to the board, said arm being secured to the hydrofoil and spaced from the board, so that the wings are generally parallel to the board, the wings provide essentially no lift when the board is horizontal, the improvement wherein the front wing is a monowing carried on the lower surface of said arm and the rear wing is carried on the upper surface of said arm such that the flow of water over the front wing in unobstructed by said arm when underway and produces less turbulence over the rear wing.
 5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein gussets are provided between the hydrofoil and arm at the front and rear of the arm. 